Oosterpoort rebrands as SPOT Groningen

De Oosterpoort and Stadsschouwburg Groningen (OPSB), the organisation behind Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) venue De Oosterpoort, has a new name: SPOT Groningen.

The Oosterpoort in Groningen – which has been home to Dutch music industry conference ESNS (then called the Holland-Belgium Festival) since 1986 – merged with the Stadsschouwburg, a Groningen theatre, in 2002. The old name, says the former OPSB, “no longer does justice to who we are and what we stand for.”

“The new name fits in better with our mission: bringing the artist and the audience together to create an unforgettable experience,” says SPOT in a statement. “We no longer do this only in De Oosterpoort and the Stadsschouwburg, but also in other places in Groningen such as the Lutheran Church, the USVA, the horse racing track, EM2 and the Martini Church. Depending on the artist and the audience, we determine the place that fits best. In this way we create places of encounter and places of meaning.”

“The new name fits in better with our mission: bringing artist and audience together”

The 33rd edition of ESNS wrapped up on Saturday 19 January at the Oosterpoort in Groningen, Netherlands, having been attended by a total of 42,789 visitors, of which 4,135 were conference delegates.

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